is Tacoma's V6 weak?

Yes, but also no

 

Noticed with the cruise control on it hunts for gears, turn the CC off it doesn’t do that. Think it is more a CC programing thing than anything. It is looking for optimal rpm fuel economy, which kinda kills the mpg when it hunts like that. When the adaptive cruise is on it is even worse. Quit using that feature as i find it terrible, it likes to brake hard at inopportune moments too.

 

I found some dyno charts for the stock 3.5l engine.
Like most, it appears to "get on the cam" above 3500 rpm.

This seems strange to me, with the engine equipped with VVT-i.
Years ago, I built a Chevy 350 expressly for towing with a van.
I had Iskenderian grind me a 256/262 cam, but with tight 108 lobe centers.
The end result was max torque at 2700 rpm, exactly where I wanted it.

I would think that VVT-i ECU could be taught by the ECU to tighten the valve timing at low rpm, similar to how a short 256/262 does in a Chevy small block.
I'd be just fine with a torque peak at 3,000.

 

Honestly, I stopped using cruise almost all together. I haven't noticed any gear hunting when I do use it, but on the road I am almost always am towing so never use cruise in those instances.

 

It is the one thing I don’t like the AT over the MT in my old truck. With the MT just leave it in gear, and the engine will adjust rpm, have to be under a bit of strain (like ascending) for the CC to kick off. If you were quick enough, you could down shift and not kick off the cruise. The AT on CC is all over the place.

That and since I used to rack up the speeding tickets when I was younger, annnnd we have plenty of speed traps here, especially small towns at 25, like to use the CC as my “self control” not to get a ticket. In my manual could set the cruise at 25, with the AT it won’t do that. Have to use the S-Mode in 1st so those small town cops don’t nab me.

 

Great to see a genuine 3rd Gem work truck kicking butt…on a daily basis :0)

 

LSA and advancing the cam timing will only do so much. IMO there's a multiple reasons for the complaints on the stock tune. Poor throttle mapping, not much low end tq, tall gearing and an EPA/MPG driven trans tune all contribute to it. Seems like all of these issues, minus gearing obviously, can be addressed with a tune.

I was dead set on getting a tune in my 19 until I had Toyota flash it to the updated 20+ tune. Made the drivability much better but still not where I'd like it. I may still get a tune in the future. Also, pretty sure the surge at 3500 is the ACIS.

 

In 10 or so years, I’ll definitely will be getting acreage and living off the land as much as possible.

One of my customers has a huge greenhouse and trades veggies for beef. Super cool, just like the olden days.

 

You bet man!

She does everything I ask it to. Very versatile machine, absolutely love it.

Although rear brakes have been giving me issues last couple days. At times they get stuck after I’m parked and no I do not use parking brake when it’s cold.

I blame it on myself for not opening up the drums and cleaning them for 6 years. I’ve spent a lot of miles in dusty conditions.

I gotta open them up and clean/adjust them asap.

 

I grew up that way, we had acreage, dad hunted, mom had huge garden…pretty much fed ourselves. It is a ton of work. Wife’s stepdad has a 75 acre farm in SC. We were offered a few acres to build a house and take it over, but I don’t want to live in SC. Too hot and humid for me.

 

75 acres damn! That’s a bit too much for us I don’t want that much work.

I want to get into hunting. I fish but that’s about it. It’s a great place up here for those sorts of things.

 

It is a ton of work! He has a few farmhands to help. He feeds most of his family. One of the last two farms left in the area, the rest have been turned into housing developments and shopping centers. No Farms No Food!

It will probably disappear when he passes, none of the other family members want it either. Now if it was out here in Idaho, I may consider it.

Used to hunt, find it mind numbingly boring, plus hunting season is right in the middle of prime dirt bike riding. Same with fishing, can’t stand it…that and don’t like fish. Ha!

Dunno, since I already lived it…rather do something else with my spare time. As they say, different strokes!

 

All I had to do was adjust the rear drums through the little access hole in the back.

All good now, fuck yeah!

 

Fun too !

 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hh45Lth8iNI

 

My daily driver, and weekend adventure car for the past 7 years has been a Subaru Forester with 170 hp. The Tacoma feels like a race car next to that as far as get up and go.

 

We have to ask you to leave this discussion. We cannot have anyone defending the Tacoma 3rd Gen V6.

 

Woops, sorry... I mean, this truck is terrible and has a Camry engine in it!

 

Where V8.

 

Sometimes yes. But try towing an unloaded dolly on a flat level surface with that thing and watch it get stuck on speed bump.